STATUS OF THE WATER-BIRD POPULATION 



The water birds of the region about Fresno, although highly interesting, are 

 difficult of study. Their occurrence or absence depends upon the abundance or 

 scarcity of water in the valley ; hence their numbers vary greatly from season to 

 season. One may sometimes spend the whole summer in locating the most fa- 

 vorable ponds and sloughs only to find that on account of a minimum rainfall 

 these ponds are entirely dried up the next season. Again an unusually wet win- 

 ter may result in an abundance of water and its accompanying host of birds in 

 places where they had been almost unknown previously. 



It is with regret that we note a gradually diminishing number of water 

 fowl returning to us each fall. Doubtless the next few years will see the passing 

 of several species forever, so far as this valley is concerned. While it is prob- 

 ably true that gunners are in a large measure responsible for the decrease in 

 numbers of many species, particularly of the ducks and geese, yet a changed 

 environment has been a potent factor in bringing about the present condition. It 

 only requires a day's journey about the valley to convince anyone that conditions 

 are rapidly becoming unsuited for waterfowl. The large grain and stock ranches 

 are being subdivided, reclamation work is steadily reducing the swamp-covered 

 areas, vineyards and orchards are springing up everywhere with a consequent 

 great increase in population. Even the tule ponds that remain are often unsuit- 

 able for a nesting place on account of the custom of using them as foraging 

 grounds for bands of hogs. 



Such birds as rear their young in a very few weeks and are able to make 

 use of any temporary overflow pond are not in immediate danger; but the ducks 

 and geese and others that require concealment during the summer, or large 

 open fields in winter, are surely doomed. 



The author does not claim to have enumerated in the following pages all 

 of the water birds that occur in the region under consideration, but mention has 

 been made of each species that has been identified and it is hoped that the little 

 introduction that has been given to some of the most beautiful and valuable of 

 our birds will arouse a greater interest in them before many of them are gone 

 forever. 



